The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-03
GOVERNOR HILL.
His speech Opposing Paternalism
IN GOvePumeut.


telegraphs and railroads OF the coun.
try. This doctrine Is not entirely ne .,
II having been preached many times
before in our history, but has usually
met with little favor. Every few
years the scheme is renewed In one
form or another, discussed for awhile
and then abandoned. The presidency
with which II is pressed at the present
time lie my excuse for sluding to 1t at
all.
ut may be safely counted, as q gen.
eral rule, that the government should
not undertake any business that can
as well be conducted by private enter
prise. There are some things which,
for obvious reasons, the government
may properly manage, as the postal
services, ana municipalities may
with proprieiy furnish water or
gas to their constituents, but the
line must be drawn somew here be-
tween governmental control and pri.
vate undertakings, and II would seem
that the functions Of the government
should not be further extended, II
the government may properly manage
all our banks, telegraphs and railroads
upon the claim that thereby the inter.
ests Of the public will be better sub.
served, may 1t not with the same pro.
priety insist upon supplying people
with wholesome meats and cheap and
pure food OF oil kinds? Where ls the
line 10 be drawn when We have once
entered on tho experiment Of having
the government engaged In general
business which moro properly belongs
10 the domain Of individual efiortf
III there are evils incident 10 the
management OF our banking, telegraph
and railrosd corporations, as there un-
doubleday are, they can be cured or
alleviated by judicious legislation.
These are corporations created by the
State, and they can be controlled by
the laws OF the State. II 10 sufficient
that the State has power 10 regulate or
restrict their powers aud increase their
liabilities, and II 10 not necessary that
they should DO destroyed and their
functions assumed by the government
In order TO afford needed relief from
unjust exactions. II they have become
mnnopoli6s TO any extent, as 10 some.
times charged, the power Is vested In
our Legislature 10 relieve us from inn
positions practiced upon TIE people.
81 am opposed to . Il which tqnints
toward whet 10 popularity knosn "a
'paternal government and believe
that II 10 the true mission OF our pecul.
lar form OF government TO encroach
upon individual enterprise as little as
possible.
Government control Is one thing,
but regulation 10 another. The latter
means and embraces ample security
and protection for every Just interest
without danger 10 the people or the
creation OF additional hordtB OF Office
holders, while the former ls repleie with
risks OF every kind, and requires the
distribution Of patronage so immense
as to imperil the security Of our free
institutions, and would open up new
avenues for public aud official corrup.
ton. II is the belief OF many right |
thinking citirsns that the govern. |
ment has enough patronage
already. The air Ia foil OF complaint
oil lndihcreet and unwise interference
Of the federal oficials In the political
Affairs OF States, and how much
grester would be the volume OF such
complaints II the government should
assume the management Il the vast
Interests now controlled by private
citE,ns, and tens OF thousands OF ad.
ditional government employees be
created, with al the tempts ton Incl. |
dent TO tuoh vast patronage
"That iorm OF government Ia best |
which governs least. Thousands Of |
employees now earning fair wages and
holding good positions which are like.
y 10 keep during good behavior,
would be turned over 10 the uncer.
tain tenure incident 10 political
changes Of administration, and no civil
service law, no matter how carefully
framed and faithfully administered,
would serve their purposes No well aa
they are now served. Political posi-.
tons are poor means OF livelihood NJ
best, and they should DO reduced
rather than multiplied.
Bot u Ia diilicult 90 resist the con.
'clusion that those who tell us tina, the
millennium will have come when tho
government tssumes the control Of
those private enterprises either do
colve themselves or are deceivlng
Others. TIE good Te6ults they antloi.
pate will not be realized.
ut 10 q mistaken policy B. teach the
doctrine that the people are 10 rely
upon the government for their advance
In the walks Of life. President Oleye.
land never uttered wiser words than
when he said that, while tho people
should support the government, the
government should not support ths
people. This distinction, 30 tersely
stated, should always be observed.
Thomas Jefferson, whose notions Of
government have always been re-
spected and ADMIRED by all, was op.
posed 10 the theory that the State
should encroach upon the business OF
the citlsci In schemes OF doubtful
propriely under pretense Of serving the
public good.
Try the principle Of paternal gov.
eminent one step further and commit
10 the Governor and council the man.
agemsnt Of all farms, OF our mines and
merchants stores.
mo, my friend, the way 10 have q
coed and cafe government 10 not 10
trust u all 10 one, but 10 divide n
among the many, distributing 10 every
one exactly the functions he 10 com.
petent 70 OIL. Let the national gov.
eminent be Entrusted with the defense
oil the nation and lie foreign and fed
era relations; the State government
With the civic rights laws and the p,l.
Icy and administration Of what con.
Germs the State generally the coun,ies
with the local concerns Of the conn.
tiee, and eech ward With the ditosl
inleretie within itsai II lie by diyid.
Ing and gub-dividlng this republic
from the grea, natious, on down
through all lie subordlnAiiors until II
ends In the administration OF every
mans farm by himself, by placing
under every one What bic own eve
NAV efnefiufpTd that nj ysUt A.. A -.